The Pentagon has begun a six-month review of the presence of American troops and bases in Europe. “Some Alliance countries will fail this test, while others will pass it with top marks”, said Pete Hegseth.
Europe can and must take primary responsibility for its conventional defense, in line with the commitment made at the NATO summit in The Hague, while also ensuring security for future generations in Europe. “We know our allies are capable of doing this, and the time has come”, said Hegseth during a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
He also noted that some Alliance countries have not yet outlined a credible path for fulfilling their commitments from the 2025 Hague summit.
“In the future, our annual contributions to NATO will depend on whether other countries meet their defense spending targets. Where other allies do not spend urgently, our contributions will decrease. NATO will work both ways”, stated the head of the Pentagon.